Monday Listicles this week is “10 Best Movie Quotes” as suggested by the fabulous, funny and sensible Ally from Just A Normal Mom. So you know what that means? We got the husbands involved again just like we did for the James Bond post.

Erin: In addition to this just being fun, we learned something about our marriages, even after all these years . . .

Ellen: And we are talking years! I have 19 years and Erin has 16 years notched on the old garter belts.

Erin: Don’t do the math, people! As far as you know, we were child brides.

Ellen: That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it. Anyway, my husband and I have a short hand, semi-secret, vernacular based on movie quotes! I never really realized it until writing this post.

Erin: Steve and I do the same thing!

Ellen: Do other couples do this??

Erin: Hard to say, but let’s just assume our semi-secret code will be secret no more.

The Marital Code of Movie Quotes

Ellen and Frank

1.“O’Doyle Rules!”

Usage — (1) To proclaim superiority when crushing someone else (2) Ending to a conversation involving waxing poetic about our awesomeness.

Remember the bullish family of kids who plagued Billy Madison with acts of obnoxiousness at nearly every grade level as he took his speedy second chance run through his entire 12 years of school and always bellowed “O’Doyle Rules!”? That’s us. Sort of.

Whenever we crush at something major like UNO, Trivial Pursuit, or swimming pool water blaster fights, we always exclaim, “O’Doyle Rules!” But truly we say it with love and mostly to each other.

We also end our (private) conversations where we catch ourselves congratulating ourselves for our fabulosity with this little proclamation. Helps us keep our obnoxiousness from spilling over into the public arena. You’re welcome.

2. “Imagine it.”

Usage — (1) Usually uttered by Frank when Ellen has the audacity to complain that he is blocking her view of the TV, parade, shoe sale rack, etc. (2) Less likely to provoke a rabbit punch when used to indicate you’re not sure how something is going to end.

All you need to know is that The Skulls is about the worst elitist frat boy ever who utters this to a girl whose view he was blocking at a rowing race.

Scene -Generically Pretty Blonde (GPB) sitting there chilling and taking in a rowing race, like we all like to do. Paul Walker’s character, Caleb Mandrake (I know, right?) struts over like a rooster on Viagra and plops in front of her. Like 2 inches in front of her, because, you know, he’s super cool.

GPB: “Hey, Caleb, I can’t see.”

Caleb (without turning around): “Imagine it.”

Okay, I admit it, he IS cool.

3. “When do you drink vodka?” “Whenever.”

Usage — Mostly used by Frank to express an unknown completion date of some task.

To really get this gem, you have to hear the “Whenever” deadpanned in Allison’s (Ally Sheedy) voice.

“Frank, when are you going to take out the trash?” “Whenever.”

“Frank, when are you going to take out the ~~live~~ dead Christmas tree?” “Whenever.”

“Frank, when would you like to get busy?” “Whenev . . . wait!”

4. “Fear does not exist in this dojo!” “Yes, Sensei!”

Usage — A frequent (humorous) pep talk gem given before tests, games, and performances.

Frank to the girls before a swim meet: “Concentrate on your turns and swim hard into the wall. Fear does not exist in this dojo!” His ABSOLUTE dream is for the girls to one day respond, “Yes, Sensei!” IF this ever happens he will declare himself the winner of parenthood and exit the building.

5.“Lighten up, Francis”

Usage — What do you think it means?? Isn’t it obvious or are you daft or something?? Geez!!

Frank may or may not frequently use this, because Ellen may or may not frequently need to lighten up.

Erin and Steve

6. “There’s no crying in baseball.”

Usage — (1) Steve to the crew whenever they start sniveling or whining about something or, you know, “forget to use that thing three feet above their a$%.” (Direct quote that precedes this one in the movie) (2) Steve to Erin when she has left the ranch.

Five kids means that we have more than our share of whining. This is how we shut it down.

Steve is such a ridiculously spot-on mimic that when he channels Tom Hanks as he says this, you want to wipe your nose on your sleeve, pull your stuff together, and make the play (not the throw to home with a tw0-run lead, but you get my drift). Pronto.

7. “Let it go, Indiana.”

Usage — (1) Used to break a child out of an obsession (2) Used to stop Erin (or sometimes Steve, but let’s be fair, it’s usually Erin) in the middle of a rant.

Your family may not have fallen under the power of Minecraft yet, but it is the Dark Master of Timesuck around here. We have tried all sorts of systems to control the tech time, but it’s a painful weaning from this particular game EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. We use this phrase most often when trying to pry the keyboard from the kung-fu grip of a tween boy.

Of course, it’s equally at play trying to bring Erin down off a ledge or out of her tree.

Erin uses it most often to stop Steve from playing Civilization, the adult equivalent of Minecraft. (Note to readers: Do not buy this game for your husband for his birthday.)

8. “You’re killing me, Smalls.”

Usage — (1) Used almost exclusively on a kid who has proven either clueless, exasperating, or both (2) Also used as a verbal high five for a funny.

Our life provides endless opportunities to throw this one around. In fact, we like it so much we have given it a second life as a mark of admiration for some clever punny-ness.

Erin heard they started putting this saying on t-shirts. She would not turn down a gift like that. Just saying.

9. “I don’t know, Margo.”

Usage — (1) Used between Erin and Steve to answer a question that could be deemed snarkastic (2) Occasionally used to answer any question, because it’s just so darn funny.

Todd and Margo are the yuppie neighbors to the Griswolds. This phrase is appropriate any time someone is packing ‘tude or piling some edginess on a stack of sass. In fact, we just used this one today when discussing the basketball schedule for the 9 year old. Now, Erin is not saying who was bringing the Margo and who had to sling the Todd, but everyone is still standing and talking to each other so we are counting that as a victory.

You really do have to say it just like Todd though, so here’s the clip just in case you have been living in a bomb shelter and haven’t seen this Chevy Chase Christmas classic movie.

10. “Francisco. That’s fun to say.”

Usage — (1) bringing on a laugh in the middle of a tense moment (2) talking a teen off that hormonal ledge (3) Any time you want to inject some funny, like on the 1000 miles of car trips we took over Christmas break.

Oh, Elf, is an awesome movie for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that it brought this phrase into our life. Truly, this is the parental equivalent of the bomb squad for diffusing the landmines in our living room, our car, wherever.

It induces a laugh. Every. Single. Time.

Thank you once again to Stasha for hosting the fabulous Monday Listicles every week. We love the writers we meet there every week, so make this the week you actually click the link and check it out.

For as Yoda says, “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” See what we did there? We can’t help ourselves. Happy Monday from Ellen and Erin.

And an extra Happy Monday to Erin’s daughter who you know as Biddie. She turns 14 today. Here’s one of Erin’s favorite Happy Birthday movie clips just for her from Uncle Buck.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Biddie!